US tariff hike may impact Indian Pharma industry
New Delhi: The US government's proposed 25% tariff on imports of automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals could have significant repercussions for India's pharmaceutical industry, which heavily depends on exports to the American market.
While India's semiconductor sector is still developing and is expected to see minimal impact, the new tariffs could pose challenges for drug manufacturers. The US is the largest market for Indian pharmaceutical exports, accounting for $8.73 billion in FY24, or 31% of the industry’s total exports, according to the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).
Leading Indian pharma companies such as Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddy’s, and Cipla derive a substantial portion of their revenue from the US market. In fiscal 2024, North America contributed 47% of Dr. Reddy’s total sales, 32% of Sun Pharma’s revenue, and 30% of Cipla’s earnings.
Pharmexcil’s director-general Raja Bhanu highlighted that Indian firms play a crucial role in the US pharmaceutical supply chain, supplying four out of every ten prescriptions filled in the country. However, Pharmexcil chairman Namit Joshi downplayed concerns, stating that the competitiveness of Indian generic drug exports would help mitigate the impact of any tariff hikes.
Currently, Indian pharmaceutical imports into the US are not subject to import duties. The proposed tariffs, if implemented, could alter the cost dynamics of the industry and affect profit margins for Indian drugmakers.
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Karnataka Transport Dept uncovers alleged ₹37 lakh tax evasion involving Lamborghini in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Officials of the Karnataka Transport Department have uncovered an alleged tax evasion case involving a luxury Lamborghini Huracan Evo in Bengaluru. The evasion was carried out with forged documents which were allegedly used to evade over ₹37 lakh in road tax and penalties, officials said on Monday.
According to a report published by The Indian Express, an anonymous email was received by the transport department on December 12, 2025, which alleged that using fabricated documents, H1 Car Care had fraudulently registered the high-end vehicle at the Kasturinagar Regional Transport Office (RTO). The additional commissioner (Enforcement) ordered an inquiry after photographs of the allegedly forged paperwork, attached to the email were examined.
A police complaint was filed by Senior Motor Vehicle Inspector Ranjith N at the Kodigehalli police station. The complaint noted that the Lamborghini, bearing registration number KA-03-NX-0016, was originally purchased by Harsha Infra Cons Pvt Ltd from a Lavelle Road showroom on June 1, 2022, for ₹3,00,68,729.
The vehicle was temporarily registered at the Electronics City RTO from June 2 to July 1, 2022. Later the company sought permission to register it at a Regional Transport Office in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Investigators discovered that the accused had allegedly created fraudulent documents. He stated that H1 Car Care purchased the same vehicle in September 2025, about three years after it was sold and registered to Harsha Infra Cons. The alleged purchase price was shown as ₹3,00,58,729.
An official quoted by TIE said that the forged documents reused the same invoice number that had originally been issued to the first buyer, which is illegal. Investigators called an authorized Lamborghini dealer during verifications, who confirmed that the vehicle was sold to Harsha Infra Cons. The dealer further claimed that the invoice dated September 1, 2025, was reportedly issued to H1 Car Care, however it was never generated by the showroom and seemed to be faked.
After reviewing the paperwork, the Kasturinagar RTO determined that the fake papers were utilized to achieve the illegal registration. Officials informed that the vehicle was also undervalued to evade road tax and penalties amounting to over ₹37 lakh accumulated over the three-year period.
Following confirmation of the forgery, senior transport officials ordered the immediate seizure of the vehicle. The Lamborghini was traced on February 7 and seized from Sahakarnagar, where it was found linked to premises associated with H1 Car Care.
